As Good As It Gets

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Statuesque special agent Cleopatra Jones (Tamara Dobson) is back in this action-heavy sequel, facing off against yet another lesbian drug lord (Stella Stevens). Two of Cleopatra's friends go missing in Hong Kong so she heads there to find them. She teams up with a local detective (Ni Tien) and the two chop-socky their way to the evil Dragon Lady.Tamara Dobson was certainly an elegant and striking presence. While I don't think she was as good an actress as Pam Grier, she did bring something unique to the screen. She's like a more feminine and attractive Grace Jones. Her makeup choices in this are very questionable, though. Busty Stella Stevens makes for a sexy villainess. She doesn't appear nude here (despite a scene that teases she will) but she does show off her magnificent cleavage. Pretty Ni Tien (billed as Tanny) is good as Dobson's butt-kicking partner. Norman Fell plays the obligatory white boss that is the brunt of many deserved jabs from Dobson.It's a watchable movie but not as good as the first Cleopatra Jones. There's many reasons for this but a few are the weaker soundtrack, a more boring script, too much focus on other characters besides the lead, and no Shelley Winters hamming it up. This does have some nice martial arts scenes (particularly for blaxploitation, where 'amateur' would be the kindest way to describe most fight choreography). It does seem like it was filmed with a higher budget than most blaxploitation movies I've seen. Still, there's something ho-hum about it all and I found myself wishing it was more fun than it is.

Tamara Dobson returns as the high fashion government agent in this fun, and very dumb, sequel to the 1973 hit. This time Dobson is in Hong Kong trying to find the drug dealers who've kidnapped her cronies (jive-talking brothers Matthew & Melvin Johnson). She's helped out by Shaw Bros. star Tanny, as Mi Ling Fong, a very efficient Chinese detective and the two women have great chemistry. Director Charles Bail brings a lot of style to the film, aided by very colorful cinematography by Alan Hume. Dobson wears one outlandish outfit after another including, at one point, a fox stole. As in the earlier film, she's a very commanding presence. The supporting cast is stellar and includes Norman Fell as Dobson's befuddled superior, creepy Christopher Hunt and Stella Stevens as the "Dragon Lady." It's action packed though not the classic the original is.

This sequel to "Cleopatra Jones" reduces the blaxploitation elements and adds a HK flavor to the mix, with colorful production design and over-the-top stunts (definitely some "ouch!" moments here). Tamara Dobson is a little sexier this time (despite the excessive makeup), but she still lacks a certain grace in her fighting, and she is overshadowed by her Chinese co-star Tanny, who is not only beautiful but executes some great kicks as well. Stella Stevens, as the villainess, is also a major improvement over Shelley Winters, as she actually poses a physical challenge to Cleo (who knew that Stevens could be so good with a sword?). Overall, this sequel is better than the original mainly because it feels more like a HK action film than an American action film. (**1/2)

A much better looking lesbian villainess for Cleopatra Jones to fight in this second one of the series! Stella Stevens as the "Dragon Lady" is a two-face: smiling and cooing to her casino guests, but a deadly bitch to those who cross her (including one of her Chinese girl lovers whom she has killed when the girl decides she prefers Black dude Albert Popwell instead of her blonde sapphic mistress.The climatic fight to the death between the black heroine and the white villainess is totally rousing, and the outcome prompted cheers from the 1975 audience! Rumors of Stella's nude bath scene are still unconfirmed. It would be great to see!